The End of Gods (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 4) (58 page)

He shook his head, conviction set in his gaze. “Kwon Tae Hyun, An Soo Jin . . . tonight, in this very summit with the Underworld as your witness, you will be shown the consequences of your mistakes. You will be shown the consequences of allowing your humanity to poison you.”

The entire Underworld shifted in their seats at his words, silently preparing for the show ahead of them.

“You do not abandon your throne, you do not spit on the faces of the ones who catapulted you into your position as Gods, and you do
not
choose each other over the bylaws of this society. All of that is simply . . . unacceptable. It is unacceptable, and it
will
be corrected.” He regarded the quiet and anticipatory crowd. “You will be made into an example tonight, my children.” Then, an expression in his face changed while his voice grew lower, softer. “But there
can
be some kindness displayed if you cooperate with what we want.”

When Yoori and Tae Hyun’s eyes turned inquisitive at his last sentence, Ju Won went on amiably.

“We’re not entirely cold-hearted.” He looked over at their loved ones. “As a token of our residual feelings for you—and a last favor as a courtesy for once being like children to us—we’re going to let your friends go.” He faced Ji Hoon, his eyes stoic. “That is . . . if the King concurs with this.”

Ji Hoon smiled politely and nodded cordially at Ju Won. “Whatever the entire society wants, I will be more than happy to sign off on.” He sharpened his eyes onto Yoori and Tae Hyun before inflexibly adding, “The only thing that cannot be wavered is that
I
will be the one to show these two the consequences of their transgressions.”

“What type of mercy will be shown to them, Ju Won?” Yoori asked slowly, unaffected by the wickedness in Ji Hoon’s eyes.

She cared more about her loved ones. She knew the Advisor all too well. Whatever “mercy” he was talking about, it sounded too good to be true. However, whether or not she trusted the validity of what was being offered, she was in no position to barter. The only priority was making sure they left this building alive.

“They will be set free,” Ju Won said carefully. A hint of stiffness inhabited his voice, indicating that he did not like that she referred to him as “Ju Won” instead of “Uncle”. Albeit her lack of respect displeased him, he continued to speak as if it never bothered him. “And they will receive
full immunity
from our world.”

Yoori and Tae Hyun’s eyes bloomed at this once-in-a-lifetime deal.

Her heart hammered at the possibility that her loved ones could be free from the wrath of the Underworld—forever. She could feel every cell within her body rise up with hope. Unfortunately for Yoori, her happiness was short-lived with Ju Won’s next words.

“If you agree to our next terms, that is.”

Yoori could barely conceal her smirk. She already suspected her Advisor would never be this “kind” unless there was some malice attached to the arrangement. The devil was making his deal, and Yoori knew it would be a gut-wrenching one.

“If you agree to our next terms, then we will not only let them go, but we will also promise that they will never be pursued again. They can go about their lives as they wish.” He eyed Jae Won and Chae Young. “They can start a new life together without fear.” He swiveled his eyes to Kang Min and Hae Jin. “And they can start a family without having to look behind their backs all the time. They will be given one of the few mercies this society will ever show, and they will be truly free from the wrath of our world.”

“And what are the terms?” Tae Hyun asked critically. There was apprehension in his voice, like he knew this condition wouldn’t be a favorable one for them. Things already weren’t favorable, but from the tone of his voice, he clearly feared the worst.

“That will be discussed when your friends are safely out of the arena,” Dong Min finally voiced out from several seats away from Ju Won.

Surprised to hear from his Advisor, Tae Hyun redirected his attention to him.

Up above, Dong Min sat on his throne and stared down at his fallen advisee. Although he wore a disappointed expression, his kind eyes silently assured Tae Hyun that no matter his mistakes, he still considered him to be the son he never had.

“You grew up in this world. You know that every agreement is binding once made in front of the entirety of the Underworld, especially in this type of capacity,” continued Dong Min, his voice moving over the arena. “There are strings attached to the conditions to come, yes, but this offer will truly set your loved ones free. This is a gift that doesn’t need to be given to you, but is presented anyway. No one in our Underworld will dare go after them. All that said, do yourselves—and the four of them—a favor and stop prolonging the inevitable. We all know your answer will be yes. So stop wasting time and get on with your farewells.”

Adhering to the words of Dong Min, for she trusted that he would always look out for Tae Hyun’s best interest, Yoori didn’t hesitate to agree. Whatever the terms to come, the only thought in her (as well as Tae Hyun’s) mind was that they wanted their loved ones to vacate the premises as quickly as possible. They wanted their brothers and sisters to leave so that they could become less human, so that they could force themselves to be Gods in the face of the hell to come.

“I want the Cobras to be the ones who escort them out,” Tae Hyun then whispered, not yet agreeing with the terms. He eyed Ace, Mina, and the rest of the Cobras sitting high above in the crowd, their expressions still inflexible—still loyal to him. “I want them to be the ones who administer this release. Allow them to do this, and I will agree.”

Yoori understood what Tae Hyun was doing. He trusted his Advisor immensely, but he did not trust the rest of the Underworld. If anyone else administered the release, then Yoori and Tae Hyun would never have peace of mind that their loved ones were actually safe. On the other hand, with Tae Hyun’s very skilled and very loyal Cobras, there would be no doubt that their loved ones would truly and inarguably be safe.

“Very well,” Ju Won agreed promptly, clearly wanting to get the night over with. “Now get on with your goodbyes. You still have much ahead of you tonight.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

31: The Darkest Hour

The sound of ropes being cut was heard as Hae Jin, Kang Min, Chae Young, and Jae Won were finally released. While this took place, Tae Hyun and Yoori remained rooted in their positions. Their eyes were focused on Tae Hyun’s Cobras. They watched as the Cobras rose up from their seats in the upper quarter. Descending footsteps poured through the arena when they raced down the stairs and jumped onto the landing of the six-foot high marble wall. Once all nine leapt down the wall and landed on the onyx stage with enviable agility, they fell on one knee and showed their respect to Tae Hyun.

“You know that you don’t need to do that anymore,” Tae Hyun voiced softly, uneasy with their insistence with revering him like a King. Given his new status in life, any further kneeling was not only considered inappropriate, but also blasphemous. If the Underworld saw fit to it, the Cobras’ transgression would be punishable by death.

“No matter what you choose, you will always be the one who took us in and saved our lives. We will always be in your debt, and we will always do this,” Ace answered for the rest of his Cobras, touching both Yoori and Tae Hyun’s hearts.

With a wave of a hand for them to rise, Tae Hyun looked at each of them for reassurance. His eyes glanced briefly to his loved ones before he turned back to the Cobras. “Can you watch over them for me? Can you protect them for me?”

“With our lives, sir,” they all answered without hesitation, without fear.

Tae Hyun smiled, giving them a nod of appreciation. With his Cobras following closely behind him, he walked beside Yoori and finally went over to their loved ones to bid their farewells.

“No!” Hae Jin screamed as soon as Yoori and Tae Hyun reached them. “You guys can’t do this!”

They were all standing in the corridor that acted as the entrance and exit way of the arena. The door to the world outside was opened, allowing the cool breeze of the night to filter through. The limited lighting in this space gave them the privacy to say their goodbyes without filter, without having to make a conscious effort to appear emotionless in front of the Underworld.

“There has to be another way,” Chae Young breathed out, holding back tears when she realized that Yoori and Tae Hyun were going to be left in this amphitheater alone.

“There is no other way,” Tae Hyun answered quietly.

“They will kill all of us regardless,” Yoori added gently, knowing that this was a difficult farewell for everyone involved. “At least with this,
you’re
all guaranteed safety while Tae Hyun and I can fight without fearing that they’d hurt you.”

“We’ll stay. We’ll fight with you,” Jae Won and Kang Min said in unison. Their eyes pulsed with valor and determination. They weren’t afraid of fighting beside them in this battle.

“And you will risk
their
lives?” Yoori inquired pointedly, gesturing at Hae Jin and Chae Young.

She expelled a weary sigh. She had no doubt that the brothers would fight to the death with her, and this was her fear because they were no longer her soldiers. They had their own loved ones now. She would not allow them to behave so foolishly. They were not going to stay—she was going to make sure of that.

The brothers fell silent when Hae Jin and Chae Young’s safety was brought up. Confliction and anguish undulated in their eyes. They were torn between protecting the love of their lives and protecting their King and Queen.

“You know that if you stay, then the deal will be voided and no one will receive immunity,” Tae Hyun added solemnly, looking at the brothers. “They will kill all four of you.” His eyes became more critical. “What do you think that would do to us? Do you think we can fight for our lives while being consumed with the guilt of watching them kill you?”

Yoori knew that she and Tae Hyun got to the brothers when they said all this. No matter how painful it was to hear, the inexplicable truth was that this was their reality. Without the extra burden of worrying about their friends, Tae Hyun and Yoori would be able to become “Gods” in this world once more. That in turn would give them a better fighting chance to actually make it out alive. The only person they would have to look out for was the other, and even that alone was already going to be a difficult task.

Though conflicted with emotions, their loved ones fell silent because they saw Tae Hyun and Yoori’s point. They miserably acknowledged that their presence would do more harm than good. If they wanted to help Tae Hyun and Yoori, then they had to leave immediately.

Desperate to get his loved ones out of this building before the Underworld reneged on its deal, Tae Hyun exhaled slowly and approached Hae Jin and Kang Min with a heavy heart. He stopped in front of Kang Min, and from man to man, he did something that was difficult for every older brother to do: he
bequeathed
another man with the responsibility of keeping his younger sister safe.

“I leave her with you now,” he declared, emotions overfilling his firm voice. “Please . . . take care of my sister. If there’s anyone in this world that I would trust to take care of Hae Jin and to love her, it would be you.”

Tears brimmed in Kang Min’s eyes as he accepted this responsibility. He shook his head in shame while looking into the arena behind them. From his vantage point, the bright lights from the onyx stage looked like the fires of hell. It was a fire that he did not want Tae Hyun and Yoori to return to.

“I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job this time,” Kang Min uttered, remorse crippling his voice.

Tae Hyun gave him a reassuring smile. “This was beyond your control.” He turned to Yoori, his eyes making brief contact with her. “Sometimes even when you give everything to protect the one you love, you fail. That’s how life works.” Something in Yoori’s gut coiled at what Tae Hyun said. Before she could further process it, he turned back to Kang Min, leaving Yoori to revert her focus back to the farewell rather than what he had just said. “You will do well.”

After patting Kang Min on the shoulder, he pivoted his attention to his baby sister. Giving her a farewell hug that only siblings could give to one another, Tae Hyun bestowed her with an emotional embrace that left Hae Jin to sob into his arms.

“I know this . . .” Hae Jin cried between her words. The agonizing guilt in her crying voice brought tears to Yoori’s eyes. “This is all my fault.”

Yoori took in a breath to quell her tears. She hated seeing Hae Jin cry. It evoked all the older sister instincts within her and tore her up inside. If she could, she would give Hae Jin the world for her not to cry.

“It’s not your fault,” Tae Hyun assured, his voice truly meaning it.

“You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want to save me,” she went on painfully, the tears freefalling down her cheeks. “You would’ve left already, and you would’ve been safe. You wouldn’t be standing here in this goddamn place right now.”

“It’s not your fault,” Tae Hyun stated again. He hugged Hae Jin tightly, not wanting to let her go. It was clear that he feared this would be the last time he would hug his sister. “None of this is your fault. It’s mine. They wanted me, and they used the people they knew would have me running back. I got you involved in this, but I’m getting you out now.”

Upon being reminded of what she needed to do, Yoori glanced over to her best friend and the brothers. Then, she abandoned all composure and ran to Chae Young. She embraced her like there was no tomorrow.

“Thank you for everything, buddy,” Yoori whispered, her heart racing at the knowledge that there was a strong chance she would never see her best friend again. “Thank you for befriending that new girl who came in looking for a job, and thank you for being there with me since.”

“I love you, Yoori,” Chae Young replied, unable to control her own sobs as she hugged her best friend. “Please come back. You have to come back.”

Afraid to answer that plea with a verbal response, as Yoori herself wasn’t sure about the chance of her survival tonight, Yoori gave a half-hearted nod as a means to calm Chae Young’s nerves. She disengaged from the embrace and immediately went into the arms of the two brothers. She embraced Kang Min and Jae Won together, never in her life imagining how difficult it was to finally say goodbye to the ones she grew up with.

“Thank you.” The statement was simple, but after all that they had done for her, it couldn’t have been more meaningful. “Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me. I love you—I love both of you so much. More than you’ll ever know.”

“We love you, boss,” they responded, tears bubbling in their eyes as they held her. Ten years. After ten years of growing up together, the trio couldn’t believe they had to say goodbye like this.

Soon after, as the tension within the arena became somber, Tae Hyun brought everything to an end. With conviction set on his face, he finally pulled out of the embrace with his sister and ended the group’s farewell.

“Leave now,” he said to all of them, wanting to waste no more time, “before they change their minds.”

“No! Oppa, there has to be another way!” Hae Jin cried hysterically, reaching out for him when the reality of what was happening finally hit her. He was leaving; her brother was actually leaving now. She tried to reach for him, but Tae Hyun moved his arm away from her in time.

He began to walk out, his eyes on his Cobras and his muscles tense from what he was doing to his sister. He knew he could no longer allow all these human emotions to filter into him. He still had an Underworld to face; he wasn’t going to permit himself to get further entrenched in this.

“Secure a plane for them and make sure they leave the country tonight—right now,” he told Mina and Ace. “Do not take them anywhere else but the airport. Do not listen to them if they beg you to keep them here, and do not let them out of your sights. Watch over them as I would and protect them as I would.”

“We will, boss,” all nine Cobras assured him, bowing their heads as a sign of their understanding and future adherence of his orders.

“Thank you,” he said to them with genuine appreciation. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, and thank you for everything you will do.”

With that, Tae Hyun, without giving one last glance at his loved ones, regained his composure and walked back towards the arena where the Gods of the Underworld awaited him. He stopped just halfway at the entrance hall, several feet from the light of the arena. He waited for Yoori, who knew it was finally her time to join him.

“Yoori,” Hae Jin called softly, trying to appeal to Yoori when she realized her brother had already made his decision. “Please . . . don’t do this. There has to be another way. Just come with us right now. Just leave and run right now.”

Knowing that the clock was ticking, Yoori pulled Hae Jin into an embrace and kissed her on the forehead. She cupped Hae Jin’s tear-filled face with adoration and forced a smile to come upon her face.

“You will be such a great mother,” she merely whispered, regretful that she would likely never see Hae Jin’s child. Her own conviction set, she finally turned away from them. “Please take care of yourselves.”

Yoori sped away, the commotion behind her triggering her heart to rip into pieces. She could hear Hae Jin clamoring to get to her, crying for her to not go. She could hear Chae Young holding her back, crying tears of her own. With her misery worsening from hearing their hopeless sobs, she continued to walk straight ahead, nodding at the Cobras to take them away now.

Yoori took a moment to regain her bearings and approached Tae Hyun in the darkness. When she stopped in front of him, the very last thing she heard was Hae Jin and Chae Young crying before the big doors slammed closed, officially freeing their loved ones, and officially entrapping Yoori and Tae Hyun at the mercy of the Underworld—officially telling Yoori that the end was near.

It was finally just them.

It was finally just her and Tae Hyun.

Yoori looked up at Tae Hyun while the beckoning mouth of hell awaited their return.

Yoori could feel her fears come into play when their eyes met. Their gazes mirrored each other. They were both scared, both deathly afraid.

“I wish . . . that you hadn’t come,” Tae Hyun told her regrettably, finally giving away the fear that he had been concealing from their loved ones.

“I wish you hadn’t come either,” she whispered, feeling the same regret. An unrivaled fear wrapped through her while they took another minute to bask in each other’s presence. Given the chaos that was about to take place, this stolen moment of reprieve was a gift before their descent back to hell.

No matter how much they embodied it, Yoori knew, just as Tae Hyun knew, that they were no longer Gods. They were merely humans now. Humans who knew that they were facing wrathful Gods, and humans who did not fear for the safety of their own lives, but the safety of the one they loved more than anything in the world.

Yoori was so afraid, but what could she do now?

All she could do was fight past her fears and hope against hope that they could make it through this seemingly impossible night.

God help us.
Her desperate mind prayed to a being she had never once prayed to.
Please help us.